John itortil



(No'ModeL) J. NORTH.

FAN. No. 257,058. Patented Apr. 25, 1882.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN NORTH, OF MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT.

FAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 257,058, dated April 25, 1882.

Application filed March 6, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN NORTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Middletown, in the county of Middlesex, State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fans, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to that class of fans the feather or body of which is formed of a folded or plaited blank of paper or other suitble light material. Heretofore fans of this character were made to fold and unfold, the feather in some instances being made so pliable as to be drawn into the tubular handle to which it was attached, and in other instances the plaited blank has been secured at its extremities to stiff handle-strips which gave rigidity to the feather when the fan was unfolded or spread. In all cases, however, so far as known to me, these fans have when unfolded or spread been supported by a rigid piece extending from the center of the feather to the handle proper.

The object of this invention is to construct from such a blank a fan which is to remain permanently open or spread, and in which are combined the qualities of cheapness of construction and extreme lightness.

To this end the invention consists in drawing the plaits together at one end to form a stiff stub, and securing a re-enforce upon each side of the feather at its j auction with the stub; and it finally consists in the combination of the stubbed and re-enforced feather with a handle provided with a socket.

In order that my invention may be understood by those familiar with the art, I will now proceed to describe the same in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is an elevation showing a completed feather provided with a flat re-enforce. Fig. 2 is an elevation showing a plaited feather blank provided with a plaited re-enforce, said re-enforce being shown partly in perspective. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the handle. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the completed fan. Fig. 5 is a perspective of the plaited blank.

The same letters of reference are used in all the figuresin the designation of identical parts.

The feather blank A is rectangular in sh ape,

and is folded or plaited to form alternate ridges and channels running transversely across the blank at right angles to its longitudinal edges. The ends of the plaits at one edge of the blank are drawn tight together and secured by stitching, pasting, or in any other preferred manner. There is thus formed at one edge of the blank a stiff stub, a, the other unconfined edge having the form of a segment, and the ridges and channels formed by the plaits extending radially from the stub a to the unconfined edges, as shown. The unconfined edge is now spread to the required extent and a re-enforce, B, of stout paper is secured near the stub to the ridges on each side of the blank, a flap, 1), of said re-enforce slightly overlapping and being secured to the stub a, as shown in Fig. 1. This re-enforce may be embossed or otherwise ornamented, or it may be utilized for advertising purposes, the fan being so cheaply made as to enable merchants and others to distribute it gratuitously.

The handle C may be make of wood, paste board, or other material. It is provided at one end with a socket, c, for the reception of the stub 00 of the feather, which is secured in said socket in any preferred manner.

The re-enforce B, instead of being made of a flat segment of paper, may be plai ted and glued to the plaited feather blank before the plaits are drawn together to form the stub or the re-enforce may be secured to the flat blank and the two be plaited at one operation. \Vhen using the plaited form of re-enforce-I prefer to leave a sufficient space at the lower edge of the feather blank uncovered, as shown in Fig. 3, for the formation of the stub.

It will be seen that by this construction I am enabledto produce a fan which, while being very light, possesses great rigidity at the junction of the handle and the feather, where the greatest strain is exerted.

I am aware that a segmental re-enforce has heretofore been used to give rigidity to the feather of a fan near the handle; but in such cases the feather of the fan has been in the form ofa flat sheet. In conclusion, I will remark that the handle being preferably ot'pasteboard will also serve as a field for small advertisements.

What I claim is- 1. The combination, substantially as herein before set forth, of the plaited feather A and the stub a, formed of a single piece, and the reenforce B, secured to the feather at its junction with the stub.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set'forth, 0f the plaited feather A, the stub a, the re-enforce B,-and the handle U, provided with a socket, as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my 10 hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN NORTH;

Witnesses:

F. L. GLEAsON, FRANK F. STARR. 

